Entertainment

Elvis Costello Turns to Social Media to Promote Upcoming Album

British singer-songwriter Elvis Costello — who got his start in the days of early punk and new wave — is releasing a new album that he'll be promoting through a variety of digital methods, including live concert streaming and a social networking-driven scavenger hunt.

Costello's latest project, National Ransom, will come out on November 2 in the U.S., but publicity surrounding the album will kick off in high gear on October 25 — the same day as its UK release. That's when the album will be available for a full-week stream on ColbertNation.com. While Costello will be making the usual rounds on the late night talk circuit by appearing on shows like The Colbert Report and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, he will also be teaming up with public radio and online live streaming outlets.

On November 1, Costello will perform with his six-piece band, the Sugarcanes, in The Greene Space at New York City's WNYC. The concert will stream live at 8:30 p.m. ET on WNYC.org/TheGreeneSpace, with some help from Ustream, which did its first multiview concert stream with the Zac Brown Band last month. A four-song excerpt from Costello's concert will air two days after the stream on WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show. The singer-songwriter and his band will also tape an in-studio performance for AOL Sessions.

The day the album drops will mark the day for a full-set show Costello will tape for PBS's Live from the Artists Den, which should air in early 2011. Costello will be releasing several pairs of tickets for this particular show via a New York City-based Foursquare scavenger hunt. Further information about this game has yet to be revealed.

Costello's social networking activity isn't just limited to the upcoming scavenger hunt — he already has a Twitter account and Facebook page in place. A spokesperson told Mashable that Costello's website features numerous easter eggs, and fans have been given clues to find them via Facebook and Twitter. Being that Costello is a longtime performer who hasn't been shy to touch upon other musical genres like classical or jazz, it seems to make sense that he'd be willing to use social networking and other digital technology to promote his newest endeavors.

Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.